Nasal cleansing device



Oct. 7, 1952 s. A. AKINS NASAL CLEANSING DEVICE Filed May '5, 1948 m mim m H m w r. S 6 2 M Patented Oct. ,7, 1952 UNITED STAT PATENT OFF- 1GBr I 2,612,894- 7 g Y VNASA'L' GLEANSING'DEVICE Stephen A.- Akins, KansasOity,.M ApplicationMay 3, 1948', SerialNo: 24,759 came (01. 128-250) 2My invention relates to clevii-zesfor cleansin the nasal cavity and oneobjectof the invention is to provide a device of this character wherebywater or other liquid may be injectedinto the nasal cavity for thepurpose of softening the foreign matter therein and thereby facilitatethe removal thereof.

Another object is to provide a device of this character ha'vingaflexible pilot atits-upper end for sealingthe upper portion of the nasalcavity and thereby preventing the liquid from' flowing through the ductleading from the nasal cavity to theoral cavity. i

A further-"object is to provide a device of this character with acleansing member having one ormore discharge ports through which theliquid is forced into the nasal cavity.- said cleansing memberalsohavingperipheral elements whereby the softened foreign matter is dislodged andremoved from the nasal cavity by manually rotating said cleansingmember.

Another object is to provide a device of this character with areceptacle for catching thefluid and foreign matter as they flow fromthe nasal cavity. I I

A further object is to provide a device of this character which issuificientl'y flexible to prevent injury to the delicate membranes:whichcan be madein different sizes for" both. infant andiad'ult use; andwhich is'efilcient'i'n practice. I

In order that the inventionmaybe fullyiund'erstood, reference will nowbe had tov the accompanying drawing,inwhich:

Fig.1 is: an enlarged side elevation of thedevice.

Fig; 2 is: a vertical longitudinal section of the device.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the receptacle.

Fig. 4 is a modification of the upper portion of the device.

Referring in detail to the different parts, 2 designates the pilot whichtapers towards its upper end 4 and terminates at its lower end in askirt 6. The pilot 2 may consist of rubber, plastic, or other suitableflexible material and is preferably of hollow formation as disclosed byFig.2.

Arranged below the pilot 2 is a nasal cleansing member 8, preferably ofcircular form and tapering towards its upper and lower ends Ill and I2,respectively, to facilitate its entrance and removal from the nasalcavity. The upper end ID of the cleansing member extends into the skirt6 and is provided with one or more outlet ports l4 through which theliquid is discharged into the nasal cavity. The cleansing member 8 ispreferably of hollow'formationas shown by Fig. 2 to render itsufiiciently flexible to'conform tothe shape (if-the rias'al'cavity, andit consists preferably of the" same material as the pilot 2.Preferabl'y, one or more spiral elements l-6 are formed on the outersurface-of the cleansing member as shown by Fig. 1 and alternately-arranged with respective individual peripheralelements I8 'tofacilitate removal or the foreign matter from the nasalcavity.

' Arranged below thenasal cleansing member 8 is a flexible bulb 20adapted to hold a liquid which is sucked into the bulb through theinletports M from a'supply'when' the bulb is; allowed to ex'-' pand"after being manually compressed.

A receptacle 22 is interposed between the lower end ofithe nasalcleansing member 8*and the upper reduced endof thebulb 20.Saidreceptacle maybe emptied through a flexible drainage-tube 24, orspout 26; The rear end 28' of the receptacle is of concave formation asshown by Fig; 3, to conform to the sh'apefbf' the upper lip againstwhich it is pressed when inuse;

The pilot 2 the nasal cleansing member 8, the receptacle 22 andfthe bulb20' are held} in assembly by means-of an axially disposedtubeililextendi'ng' upwardly from the lower portion of thebulb into-the pilot 2.Thetube" 30 is provided at its upper portionjflwith one or more outletports: 32 adjacent tothe ports M. Cleansingniember 8at1'd bulb 20" are'fixed non-rotatively" on the tube, and receptacle 22 is swivelledthereon. At its upper end tube 30 is provided with an enlarged head 34which-extends into a recess 36 formed in pilot 2. whereby saidpilot mayrotate relative" to said which, if desired, may be medicated fortreatment of nasal diseases. The pilot 2 and the nasal cleansing member8 are inserted in a nostril, and the concaved rear end 28 of thereceptacle 22 is pressed against the upper lip with one hand while theother hand operates the bulb to force the liquid upward through the tube30. from which it is discharged through the ports 32. and M,respectively, a ainst the inner surface of the skirt from which it flowsinto the nostril and softens the foreign matter, which is then removedbythe spiral elements l6 and individual elements [8 as the cleansingmember 8 is rotated manually by turning bulb 2|]. The cleansing member 8and bulb 20 are fixed to tube 30, whereby the cleansing member is causedto turn with the bulb. The liquid and foreign matter flow downward fromthe nostril into the receptacle In practice,the'bulb'20'is supplied witha'liouid 22 and escape through the drainage tube 24, the 1 lower end ofwhich may be placed in a basin or other receptacle. If the receptacle 22is provided with the discharge spout 26 instead of the tube 24, theliquid may be discharged from the spout into the basin by inclining thehead over the latter to prevent Wetting the garments of the user. Afterone nostril has thus been cleansed the other nostril is cleansed in asimilar manner.

The pilot 2 may be fixed upon the tube 30 to rotate therewith during theoperation of the device, or it may be swiveled, as shown, upon the tubeso that it maybe held stationary by frictional contact with the innersurface of the nasal cavity, as the cleansing member 8 and the bulb 20are rotated. The receptacle 22 is swiveled.

upon the tube 30 so that it may be held stationary with one hand, whilethe bulb 20 is being rotated as above stated.

As disclosed by Fig. 4 the pilot 2a having point I la andskirt 6a, thecleaning member 8a, and the b lb 20 (not shown) may be molded in onepiece and the tube 30 may be dispensed with if desired. The receptacle22 would then be applied by connecting it rotatively tothe reducedjuncture of the cleaning member and the bulb.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that I have provided anefilcient nasal cleansing device, and while, I have shown two forms ofthe device it is apparent that other forms, falling withinthe scope ofthe invention as claimed, may be provided.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is:

1. A nasal cleaning device comprising an imperforate pilot providedatits lower portion with a flexible skirt, a cleaning member taperedtoward each end and arranged below said pilot provided with a pluralityof discharge ports withinsaidskirt, and means communicating with saidcleaning member and adapted to force a liquid'through said dischargeports and against the inner surface of the skirt.

2. A nasal cleaning devicecomprising a pilot, a cleaning member arrangedbelow said pilot and provided with discharge ports, a plurality ofspiral elements extending around the outer surface of said cleaningmember, a plurality of spaced individual elements on the cleaning memberalternately arranged with respect to the spiral members, and meansconnected to the cleaning member and adapted to force a liquid throughsaid discharge ports.

"3. A nasal cleaning device comprising an upwardly tapered flexiblepilot, a cleaning member arranged below said pilot and provided withdischarge ports, means communicating with said through said tube andhaving discharge openings adjacent said pilot, a receptacle carriedrotatively on said tube at the opposite end of said cleaning member andopening toward said pilot, means for rotating said tube and cleaningmember independently of said pilot and receptacle, and means for forcingliquid through said tube and through the discharge openings of saidcleaning member.

5. A nasal cleaning device comprising a tube having apertures formedthrough the walls thereof adjacent the upper end thereof, animperforate, substantially conical pilot of flexible ma.- terial carriedrotatably on the upper end of said tube, said pilot having a dependingcircular skirt at its lower end, a hollow cleaning member carriednon-rotatively on said tube beneath said pilot, said cleaning memberhaving discharge outlets formed therein within said skirt and inregistering relationship with the holes in said tube, a receptaclecarried rotatably on said tube beneath said cleaning member and openingupwardly and a compressible bulbrfixed non-rota; tively on andencompassing the lower end portion of said tube said bulb being adaptedto, force liquid contained thereinthrough said tube and outwardlythrough said discharge outlets.

STEPHEN A. AKINS. 7

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record inlthe, file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

